Ox Street Labs Aims To Put Asia In Focus

Nostalgic millennials Gijs Verheike and Jonathan Leong are the pioneers behind creative studio Ox Street Labs that aims to put Asia in focus

- Alfieyah Abdullah

MY HEAD IS IN A TAILSPIN confronted with the infinite procession of colourways, textures, and sheer range of sneakers on the Ox Street Labs website. It is the au courant ‘place’ for sneakerheads and fashionistas to hang out and transact. The brainchild of Gijs Verheijke and Jonathan Leong, it celebrates the uniqueness of local markets. But although Ox Street looks and feels like a branded store, many of the products sold here are from other individuals. The brand itself represents a paradigm shift in online platforms, blurring the lines between marketplace, eCommerce and social network.

Moving out of the Netherlands, co-founder and CEO Verheijke was on the lookout for greener pastures. Seeing the opportunity to build a meaningful platform in a vibrant and upcoming region such as Asia, he decided to study the market more closely. He wanted Ox Street Labs to be an extension of his own business ideology as something that is always looking for what is next. As there were only two options in existence - American or Chinese apps and sneaker content - to cater to almost a billion people in the region, Verheijke knew that creating a community specifically for sneakerheads to interact would be well received.